Confirmation Saint
by Cotto
Summary: This is a Buffy/Dawn friendship in College story, involving bullying by a classmate in season 10 volume 1 (New Rules) time of BtVS, included in it are my views on who would be her Confirmation Saint and why she would have chosen St. Joan of Arc as her patroness. It is also a Buffy/Joan devotion fiction. No slash, just friendship. Please do Enjoy!
1. Return to School

**Confirmation Saint.**

_**By James Carmody.**_

_**Pennames: Cotto, Vantiri, Krulos, Thrawn, Palpatine, Vorchan, Adalack.**_

**Characters: **Buffy Summers, Joan of Arc, Dawn Summers, OCs

**Nature:** Friendship/devotion fanfiction.

**Disclaimer:** Buffy belongs to Joss Whedon, as do all her associate characters, Joan of Arc is a historical girl/woman.

**Author's Notes:** Joan of Arc is chosen for this story as Buffy's Confirmation Saint, due to a perceived devotion to her from the episode Tabula Rasa, and due to Elizabeth (Buffy) Summers' investigation of Convent life in the episode Triangle. Because the author is not familiar with any non-Catholic Christian religions that have Convents or Monasteries, he sees good input as to the heroine's religious beliefs- but it seems that she isn't likely to pay much attention thereto. Story is set in Buffy season 10, I believe, and, is something of a companion piece to Intervention and Annexation, with Buffy and Dawn as classmates in College, despite being 5 years apart (Elizabeth is, I think in her late 20s).

Elizabeth (goes by Buffy) Anne Summers was seated on her bed, reading a philosophy book out of curiosity one afternoon, as her mind got stocked with ideas, it wandered to the topic she had to specialize in since her first year in Sunnydale High: Community Defense, _'One reason, the __**main**__ reason I picked Joan of Arc as my Confirmation Saint a few years ago.'_ the heroine thought.

Buffy Summers had had a devotion to St. Joan for quite a time, since, in fact, she learned of the preternatural monsters that lurked in the night, and her seeming (and disturbing) role to hunt them- she really needed a sort of patroness- a guide of sorts. And, she felt, that girl would do nicely. As her thoughts grew dreamy, she placed the book on her nightstand, and fell asleep.

The next morning, the elder Summers daughter was awakened by her alarm clock going off like there was no tomorrow at about 7:00am. After dressing and preparing her breakfast, she spied Dawn heading into the room with her books "Hey, Buffy." Dawn said with a bounce in her step "ready for class?" _'How does she have so much alertness?'_ Buffy asked herself, completely perplexed about her sister's boundless energy. _'I'm barely awake yet.'_

Buffy had her brown leather jacket on, fully fastened collar to waist, and tight, beneath it, her yellow shirt, and very pale grey pants, with black leather boots. Her blonde hair was tight around her head. Her sister, Dawn was wearing a sky blue blouse, very pale blue pants, sneakers or boots (Buffy couldn't tell which), leather belt, her backpack was on both shoulders and that was carrying her books, her brown hair was in what looked like a bun-straight-inside style (the sections near her temples were set into a bun at the base of her skull, and the rest of the hair over the back of her head was falling down over her back- through the loop that the bun covered) _'Impressive hair style, Dawn.'_ Buffy thought amazed as both young ladies got into the car for Community College.

Buffy had finally made it, she finally thought she had enough stability in her life to attend to her education, and for once, she was feeling pretty darn good about her life!

When the ladies arrived in the College Campus it turned out that the sisters were classmates in many of the same courses! The ladies were **very** surprised about that!

Buffy had been out of the education loop for some time, in fact, she was about 32 at this time, and Dawn was about 27. As the sisters walked up to the College doors, side by side as friends, a group of other students started snickering behind the blonde, both male and female. Oh, they were subtle about it, but it was abundantly clear to anyone listening that they were about to pick on the elder of the two- Really Immature behavior! The brunette grabbed her sister by her right arm and whispered "just keep walking, Buffy, and pay them no heed." "Hey, Poofy!" one of the group blurted out, a female who looked to be in her late 20s about 28. She had deliberately gotten Buffy's name wrong to offend the Vampire Slayer… neither of the new students knew it, but Elisa Minilo was a very well disguised Vampire, and since this event was in about 2014, with the messed up 'food chain' in this time, Buffy's 'slayer sense' was Royally out of whack!

"Yoo-Hoo! Poofy! I'm trying to get your attention!" Elisa said again, to snickers by her 'gang'… Buffy ground her teeth and clenched her fists in anger. Being called 'poofy' was the worst nickname she had yet received; it implied that she was overweight and it was a deliberate mispronunciation of her name: "Buffy". Dawn glared at the bullies, but said nothing.

Some hours later, at lunch time, Buffy hung her head, frustrated, she just couldn't wrap her head around the topics of her studies, in particular: Latin, she had brought her textbooks to the cafeteria table, and Dawn was sitting next to her, rubbing her back and trying to help her with her studies. She would point to this word and that one, and try to get Buffy to see that the words refer to the same basic concept. "I'm just not getting it, Dawn, my brain's rusty!" Buffy said, frustrated.

"Rusty-Brain. Rusty-Brain." Elisa and her pack chanted, they were trying to get into a fight with Buffy, but it was Dawn who was going berserk towards them. "Do You Mind?!" Dawn finally blurted out, irritated beyond measure. "Hey, we like it here." Elisa said with a smirk. "Right! That's IT!" Dawn finally lost it completely; she stood up, Buffy knew the look on Dawn's face- her sister was about to look for a fight! "I'm going to need you to stop bullying Buffy…" Dawn said, after walking right into Elisa's face, almost, and she tried to stare the other female down, looking Elisa right in the eyes, from about half a foot away, her intent was to intimidate her into letting Buffy study- she had had it! Elisa put her right hand on her hip, and smiled sweetly at Dawn, and responded "That's right, sweetie? What are you going to do about it, huh?" in a mocking lilt. "Dawn, don't! You're going to get yourself in trouble…" Buffy tried to talk Dawn down, but the brunette was completely berserk now, and looking for a fight. "Oh, honey, we don't want to fight you…" Elisa said, in mock friendliness "We just want to fight your sister."

"Right! That Cinches It!" Dawn snarled, now completely overwhelmed with rage _"How __**dare**__ you pick on her?!"_ Dawn practically shouted in Elisa's face. Elisa responded coolly, "Dawnie, sweetie, it is a free country…" and blew Buffy a kiss, then started walking away. Dawn was completely beside herself with rage- all darn day these bullies had been picking on Buffy, now it had to end! She immediately punched Elisa full in the face. The force of the hit sent the vampress flat out on her back. Dawn issued a open challenge then and there "Anybody else want to bully Buffy?! If you do, you've got to come through me first!"

Sure enough, Dawn had to talk to the Dean of Student Affairs over this incident, just as Buffy had informed her would happen after the fight, and had tried to talk her down the whole time. Meeting with the Dean, Buffy, Elisa, her pack, Dawn learned the news "No more of that, or all those involved will be arrested!" the Dean said firmly. "I understand." Dawn said, but she was partially satisfied about having stood up for her sibling- she also understood that fights are not sound- fist-fights that is.

Later on in the day, Buffy took a little picture of St Joan of Arc out of her shirt pocket, held it to her chest, and re-inserted it back into her pocket, as a little devotion… she was happy to be in school again, and wouldn't willingly blow it for any reason!

"We'll be waiting for you, Poofy!" Elisa said at the end of the school day, now it was the elder Miss Summers who was beside herself with rage _'Would they EVER leave me alone to study in peace?'_ Buffy demanded of her patroness; she still didn't know that these were the monsters she was trained to fight- to her they were just bullies!

**Later on at the Summers home:**

As Elizabeth's eyelids grew heavy from her first day of classes in over five years, back in college, she was envious of her kid sister, but still loved her deeply, and was proud of her. _"St. Joan, why does Dawn get such classes so quickly? Don't get me wrong, I am delighted for her, she's doing fine, but I sure would like myself to be able to contend with her in this; I don't know, I just feel envy towards my little sis. Some help would be appreciated."_

Shortly thereafter, Elizabeth 'Buffy' Anne Summers zonked off to a deep, peaceful, exhausted sleep.

**Author's Notes:** The reason Buffy cannot detect the fact that Elisa is a vamp is that it's about at the time of Season 10, early… and was partially inspired by the cover of Season 10 Volume 1 "New Rules", the one with the classroom setting.

I also liked having Dawn get into a fight with the bullies in defense of Buffy.

The thing about Buffy getting envious of Dawn but still loving her is realistic to the crosses of the elder child in a family, and so I put it in here.


	2. Nocturnal Meeting

**Chapter #2.): Nocturnal Meeting**

**Author's Notes:** There will be references to some of the Buffy comics, such as "notes from the underground" as well as some historical references, like referring to Robert Rodgers of the French and Indian War, as well as of the American Revolution, and to events like the 100 Years War; persons like Henry the 6th, and the Duke of Bedford (whom I seem to recall was Regent of England after Henry the 5th's death) and the Siege of Orleans (as well as the bombardment of that city), as well as the 'Burgundian Defection" (as it could be called; taking a bit of 'historical license' here) that effectively ended English dominance in France in the 100 Years War.

As Elizabeth "Buffy" Summers slept, she sort-of entered a weird open deserted plain, _'just like the Replicator 'mental net' as my friend Willow would call it when we watched Stargate SG1 as the Scooby Gang.'_ Buffy observed. She was surrounded by what looked like a storm, that provided 'security' for the meeting. _'I didn't ask for this job, I was effectively 'drafted' into a sort-of 'national guard'.'_ Buffy thought, as she slowly spun around taking a mental 'log' of what's here for her to use if a fight breaks out.

"Every Slayer is, in some sense, drafted… even myself." Said somebody from a nondescript area of this 'mental plain' Buffy found herself standing on. Miss Summers was somewhat spooked by this mysterious girl's presence, she knew that even a girl of about 18-19 could be a significant threat to another if underestimated., but as long as she kept her wits up and about her, she Should be safe! As the mysterious girl walked forward, Buffy noticed she was wearing a form of body-armor, and looked to be in a sort-of 'tankers outfit', like some units of Army troops wear, her hair was short, almost typical of a guy, and Buffy's immediate impression of her was "tomboy". She opened her arms in a sort-of invitation to a hug, smiled kindly, and had her right leg slightly forward with her toes of her shoe or boot pointed out.

Buffy took a seat on a slight rise that looked a bit like a charred log from the fireplace, and patted the rise to her left side, as in "sit here", Buffy herself was wearing her short dress and black boots that, oddly enough, fit surprisingly well, considering that she had worn that outfit when dating Owen in High School… while she and her friends were dealing with the Master.

"Been here before, well, not 'here,- here' just done this sort-of thing before." the strange young woman told her as she took a seat, in a rather thick French accent. Buffy thought a bit, then she remembered! It was at some kind of 'intervention' she had encountered that she thought she had seen this young female; when her old ex-boyfriend, Pike had rescued her from a 'gladiatorial arena' run by the Scourge, a type of demon that's society resembled the SS of Nazi Germany, and 'overseen' by Adam, before she 'cut his supply lines' as the military saying goes. Then again, Buffy was somewhat delirious from the exhaustion and malnutrition of constant battle without any rest or food or drink, so… Then the young woman extended her right hand slightly. "Jean, that's who I am, though you probably would know me better as 'Joan'. To my friends, I often go by Jeanette, though." She explained gently. Elizabeth took her hand "Buffy." "Short for Elizabeth, I know." The strange female who identified herself as 'Joan' responded.

"This is a common meeting 'state of mind' for myself and my 'collegues' we're safe here.", Joan explained. "Safe, from who?" Buffy said, somewhat confused. Jean took on an odd look to her face, then explained "Not 'who', my friend, 'what'., an ancient enemy, one that has long sought to annihiliate humanity,,, in a sort-of 'war of the worlds' as the novel concept goes. Btw, that concept has often been put to a horrible abuse in reference to a sort of 'modern racism' and to justify the unjustifiable, in otherwise terms: expelling the Caucasian community from your own continent, to _**who knows where**_ despite the reality that they are as native to your own continent than any other ethnic group of humans! And that Adversary is the one most likely responsible for this Garbage Idea!" Jean growled in irritation and some degree of anger over the blatant injustice of it all. "Oh, the First Evil would Love this current 'political trend', yes, it would take Great delight in it Immensely- probably IS taking delight in it already!" "**That's** the being we're seeking protection from? I had thought it cannot kill me directly!" Buffy said, "Oh, and HOW in any reality does this work? I mean, we're separated by not only several thousand miles, but also over 500 years!" "What is the essence of death, according to the religious Faith you were raised in?" Jean responded "Your soul must leave your body." Buffy recalled. "Actually, Buff, the term is 'torn' or 'ripped', as in to connote some form of savagery." her acquaintance responded. "Mine was utterly destroyed, based upon false charges of heresy, and it seems, sorcery. After the 'conscious cremation'," _'Yuck and Ouch!'_ Buffy thought "exactly, Buffy, it HURT, a LOT, but I hardly felt any pain, somehow I was protected from the agony registering… something I was immensely terrified of! Well, after my flesh was destroyed, the ashes were dumped into a river that runs near Paris France,… but my 'trial' was nothing but a political attempt to discredit a resistance that the British weren't able to defeat by military means at the time." Jean explained.

Then it was that Buffy realized who she was dealing with, or Thought she was dealing with, Joan of Arc. "We've got to establish a meeting time, and place, otherwise, this will come across Weird!" Jeanette was saying. "How about nighttime, once a day or week, that way nobody else need know I enter this trance state, and we can meet regularly?" Elizabeth asked. "Sounds like a good deal." the French maiden said, and the transmittion ended.

Elizabeth was awakened by a buzzer suddenly "Wow! Weird Slayer-Dream!" she remarked, and it was the weekend, not only that, but she was off from work at this point, so, she could research this. Upon talking to Giles the next day, and insisting upon doing some of the research on previous slayers- BOY was Miss Summers in for a shock! It turned out that that dream was Actually a conference of a sort… and she then got spooked, that research took up most of the Saturday.

**End Chapter Author's Notes:** Buffy is now somewhat utterly disturbed; she fears from her research that she is somehow demonically possessed, and this freaks the maiden out! This sets the stage for the next chapter: "Religious Counseling", note: each chapter also helps introduce other characters, and references; like Robert Rogers in the French and Indian War, who may be referenced later on, as well as elements from Joan of Arc's personal history as well as the 100 years war. The reason Joan is seen in a 'tank crewmember's outfit' is that, in this context, she is conveying the impression of serving in a type of modern armor- in her day, these were the mounted troops- commonly called knights., although she was more in 'field command' and her specialty was artillery. (I am aware of this from historical references- eye-witness accounts- that girl had a gift for the use of artillery, in all matters!)


End file.
